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BARBOUR COUNTY WEST VIRGINIA
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Submitted to the West Virginia Biographies Project by:
Valerie & Tommy Crook
vfcrook@earthlink.net
July 22, 2000
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The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.,
Chicago and New York, Volume III,
pg. 564
Barbour
WAITMAN DEVER CORDER. Barbour County has repeatedly
honored and given evidence of its esteem of the Corder
family, who through a long period of years have been
leaders in country life and in the official affairs of the
county. W. D. Corder, one of the younger members, has
given most of his active years either to business or the
public service, and is the present circuit clerk of the
county.
His father is William Benton Corder, who was born near
Berryburg in Barbour County in May, 1859. He acquired
a liberal education, attending old West Virginia College
at Flemington, an institution that gave many prominent
men to the state. His active career has been devoted to
farming and official affairs. He was elected assessor of
Barbour County, and served four years, represented the
county one term in the House of Delegates, was then
chosen state senator from the old Tenth District for one
term, and for four years was sheriff of the county. He
is now president of the Barbour County Farm Bureau.
William B. Corder married Bertha Jane Bartlett, who wag
born near Simpson, Taylor County, daughter of William
and Sallie (Reck) Bartlett. Their children are: Lander
R., of Clarksburg; Waitman D., of Barbour County; Wil-
liam Everett, a farmer near Berryburg; Hassell Wade, of
Clarksburg; Laco Bartlett and Rossil Atkinson, both on
the home farm.
Waitman Dover Corder was born in Pleasant District of
Barbour County, near Berryburg, March 24, 1883. He lived
on the farm until he was about twenty-three. In the mean-
time, after leaving the common schools, he attended Broad-
dus College, then at Clarksburg, was a student in Wesleyan
College at Buckhannon, and for five terms taught country
school while getting his own education.
Mr. Corder left the farm to become deputy sheriff under
his father, and he performed these duties for four years.
After leaving office he remained at Philippi and engaged
in the general insurance business, building up an agency
that is one of important service throughout Barbour County
and of which he is still the active head.
Mr. Corder in 1914 became a candidate for circuit clerk.
He had no opposition in the nomination, but in the elec-
tion had a rival on the other ticket and was chosen by a
majority far beyond the normal majority for the county.
He entered office in January, 1915, as the successor of
Charles W. Brandon, and in November, 1920, was re-elected,
so that he is now serving in his eighth year.
Mr. Corder comes from a republican family, cast his
first presidential vote for Colonel Roosevelt in 1904, and
served as chairman of the County Committee from 1910
to 1914. He is a York Rite Mason, has taken the work of
the Lodge of Perfection in the Scottish Rite, is a member
of the Mystic Shrine, and is a member of the Missionary
Baptist Church and of the trustees of Broaddus College
at Philippi. Mr. Corder helped finance and build the
Blanket Mill at Philippi, and was secretary and treasurer
of the company for a time. He has been a director of
the Kiwanis Club, and for two terms was on the City
Council, when such important public improvements were
under way as paving and sewerage. He is chairman of
the Finance Committee of the Red Cross Chapter of Bar-
bour County.
In Barbour County Mr. Corder married Miss Iva Talbott,
daughter of S. H. and Edith Talbott and sister of W.
Bruce Talbott, the present prosecuting attorney. Mr. and
Mrs. Corder were born within a mile of each other, attended
the same country school, and she was also educated in
Wesleyan College. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Corder
are: William Dever, Edith Jane, Joseph Talbott, Waitman
Bartlett, Ellen Rose, June Lee and Bettie Ann.
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